As I Fall Asleep
by Obsidian Buterfly
Summary: Could you... hold me please? As I fall asleep... A series of loosely inter-connected one-shots featuring the TRC gang. Warnings: AU, Character Deaths.
1. Sakura

_**A/N: This is a part of what's gonna be a small series of interconnected one-shots, each one focusing on one of the TRC pairs. This first one is SakuraxSyaoran. Oh and keep in mind that is going to be an AU series.**_

"I'm not a monster!" she stomped at her annoying brother's foot, secretly taking pride at the way he winced. Serves him right for calling her a monster. "And his name is Syaoran, _not_ Brat!" Leaving him to hop around while clutching his injured foot, after she had stomped on it again, she twirled around, marching back to her room with an angry huff. Ignoring his angry yells as he chased after her while doing an impressive imitation of a single-footed rabbit, she shut the door to her room in his face.

Pouting slightly, she made her way over to her bed, falling back with a small sigh. She turned to her side to stare at the small stuffed toy sitting happily in the pile of her pillows. Picking up the white rabbit-like creature that resembled a meat bun more than anything else, she brought it to her face.

"Nii-san was being mean again today," she told the toy in her hands, "he called me a monster so I stomped on his foot really hard." She giggled slightly, "he makes a good rabbit when he hops around on one foot though, ne Moko-chan?" The plush toy remained silent as she brought it to her chest and hugged it.

"I'm gonna turn fourteen in a week." She smiled lying on her back once more as she stared at the roof, "I got Syaoran's letter yesterday. He says he'll arrive on my birthday. I'm going to tell him when he comes this time for sure." She declared determinedly.

"…I overheard Okaa-san and Otou-san talking last week. I'm not supposed to know about it at all, but at least it explains what is wrong with me… I'm cursed Moko-chan..." she said softly, sitting up in bed to look at the rabbit-like creature in her arms, "Okaa-san is afraid I don't have much time left. It's getting worse. But you know something Moko-chan? I'm not going to let this curse bring me down. I'm gonna be happy and enjoy what time I have with my most precious person… you know who that is, don't you?" She giggled softly, putting the toy back on her bed, "Shh… don't tell anyone though. It's gonna be our little secret. I want to tell him about it myself."

….

Gasping she jolted upright in her bed. Right hand clutching at her chest where it hurt the most, her left hand sought for the little charm Syaoran had brought for her from journey about a year back. She pressed the cool crystal to her lips, sighing in relief as it healing magic soothed the pain in her heart. Staring at the white feather embedded within the transparent rock, she held it up to the moonlight, watching as the silvery rays bent inside, making the whole thing glow in otherworldly light. Stuffing it back under her pillows, she pushed back the silk sheets covering her body. Tugging on a cloak over her night clothes, she climbed to her feet. Grabbing the stuffed toy from her bed, she made her way outside to the balcony. The cool night breeze played with her hair as she leaned over the railing, staring at the pair of towers built in the shape of wings in the distance. Her fingers tightening their grip on the toy in her hands, she closed her eyes as tears prickled her eyes. _That_ dream was still fresh in her mind.

"No matter what, Syaoran," she whispered softly, "I'll tell you that day for sure."

….

She quickly excused herself from dinner, wincing slightly at the sharp stab of pain through her chest. She could feel their worried eyes on her back so she hurried her footsteps, breaking out into a run the minute she was out of the dining hall. Gasping for breath, she raced down the hallways, throwing herself into her room as fast as she could. Stumbling over her feet, she crawled over to her bed, pulling out the charm from under the pile of pillows. Hands trembling, she brought it to her lips. Slower than usual, the pain receded. Her heart almost skipped a beat as the taste of blood filled her mouth. Quickly grabbing the jug of water from a small table, she filled herself a cup, drinking quickly to get rid of the tangy flavor.

"I'll tell you… for sure…" she promised.

…

"Syaoran!" grinning widely, she tackled the brunette as soon as he stepped through the castle gates. Ignoring her grumbling brother, she hugged the boy some more, breathing deeply to take in the scent that was just him. Climbing off of him, she pulled him towards the twin towers, her birthday ceremony was just about to start. "There's something I want to tell you after the ceremony." She whispered a confession in his ear before following her mother and the High Priest down the stairs to the underground reservoir.

She felt another pang attack her chest just as the pure water was poured over her head and she was cocooned in her mother and the High Priest's magic. She could feel the golden threads of magic hum all around her as she collapsed to her knees, the pain making her whimper as she folded in on herself. The golden light faded to blackness just as she heard the alarmed cries of her loved ones, calling out her name as she fainted.

…

"Syaoran?" she murmured as she felt the warm weight of his head resting beside her arm, his left hand clutching her right hand in sleep. Smiling softly, she brushed the hair out of his face, stirring him awake as she did so.

"Sakura, you're awake!" he jumped to his feet, hurrying towards the door, "I'll go get your mother."

"Wait!" she cried, reaching for his hand but ending up falling out of her bed in her haste as she leaned a little too far.

"Sakura!" he was at her side in an instant, gently lifting her from the ground and helping her back into her bed.

"I'm okay, Syaoran." She smiled her brilliant smile at him, "really." The smile faltered a little at the sadness lurking in his gaze. "What's wrong?" she asked, wondering if maybe her mother had told him about the curse.

He shook his head, giving her one of his rare smiles, "I'm just worried about you."

"Syaoran is here," she told him, letting her smile turn a little shy as she remembered the promise she had made to herself, "so I'm fine now."

"I should go get your mother." He said, once again getting to his feet. The sadness in his eyes made her heart plummet. She could tell that he knew. "She said she wanted to see you once you wake up."

"You will come back with her, right?" she tightened her grip on his hand. "Right?"

"If you want me to."

"I do." She nodded, feeling breathless as her heart skipped a few beats.

"Then I will be right- Sakura!" she lurched forwards, collapsing in his arms.

…

"- her completely." Her mother was saying as she drifted back into awareness. Her lids seemed to be weighed down by lead because struggle as she might, she could not open her eyes.

"I'm so sorry." That was Syaoran.

"Don't be, Syaoran-kun," her mother replied, "You've done all you could have."

"But it wasn't enough! She's…" he trailed off.

"Sakura-chan would like it if you stayed here with her now."

"…"

"I'll go tell Touya-kun and Yukito-kun." The sound of her footsteps receded as the door shut with a gentle click.

"… I'm so sorry, Sakura." His warm fingers entwined with her own as he brought her hand to his mouth, his lips softly brushing her knuckles as he spoke. "I'm so, so sorry." She drifted back into darkness after that.

…

"Could you take me to the tower at the edge of the city?" she asked as she came to. The sun was descending across the sky. It would be sunset in half an hour. "I want to see the sunset with you."

"Of course, Sakura." She buried her face into his chest as he gathered her in his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck for support.

"I promised to tell you something today." She told him once they had arrived at their destination.

"I… I have something to tell you as well." He replied as gently sat her down near the edge of the tower, facing the desert where the sun descended to meet the ground. He sat down beside her, taking her hand in his own as she leaned against him.

"Usually I'd ask you to go first but just this once," She shook her head, pain blossoming out from her chest slowly. "I'm going to tell you first." Her breaths began to grow somewhat shallow as her heart missed a beat. Staring at his face, she could tell he was on the verge of crying. He knew. He _knew._

Pushing the sadness away, she took in a breath to steady her heart. "I love you, Syaoran." She confessed.

"Sakura," there were tears in his eyes as he pulled her to his chest in a crushing hug, "I love you too. I love you so much but… I don't deserve you…"

"Stop it, Syaoran." She pushed against him, wincing as sharp, invisible spikes began to press against her torso, digging into her flesh as the sun slowly sank towards the ground. "Stop blaming yourself for it. I know about the curse."

"Y-You do?"

"I've known about it for…" she winced again, biting her lip as her eyes prickled, "a while… I've been having dreams about today every night for a few weeks now... I knew… I knew I would die…"

"I'm so sorry, Sakura." His tears were flowing freely now as he stared at her with longing and regret in his eyes.

"You can see the seal, can't you?" she asked him softly, "That's why… your eyes always grew sad when you… looked at me," the spikes were almost past her ribs, "Please don't blame yourself… you did everything you could… to help me…"

"It wasn't enough." He shook his head, refusing to meet her eyes.

She shook her head, "It was more than enough." She gasped the spikes pierced her lungs. Blood slowly filled her mouth as she swayed.

"Sakura!" Syaoran cried in alarm as he caught her in her arms.

"Don't worry, Syaoran." She smiled softly, blood dribbling down her chin as she looked up at him. "I'm just going to sleep."

"No… Sakura," his tears felt so warm against her freezing skin.

"Hold me please…" she murmured, smiling softly as his grip tightened around her, "as I fall asleep Syaoran?"

"Always." He promised, burying his face in her hair, his body shaking with silent sobs.

"It doesn't hurt anymore," she told him, her own tears mingling with his as she breathed in the scent that was completely him, "Thank you…"

"I'm so glad… you showed up at the reservoir that day…" she breathed, her eyes drifting close as all feeling left her body, "I love y…"

_**A/N: Just so you know, the clones don't exist since Syaoran never really made the wish to turn back time. I took some liberties with how the 'Seal of Death' was going to kill Sakura on her birthday. This is probably the first time I killed Sakura in my story. I hope you guys had fun reading it. ;) Tell me what you think. **_


	2. Syaoran

_**A/N: I can't believe I wrote that I hoped you guys had 'fun' reading the last chapter. Just goes to show you it's never a good idea to post a chapter at five in the morning. Anyhow… this bit is more or less a disconnected continuity (an oxymoron if there ever was one) of the last one-shot. And before you ask, yes, I am once again posting a chapter at 5 am so yeah… I seriously need to correct my sleeping schedule. -_-;**_

**Syaoran**

The sunlight poured inside the small, somewhat dark room through a round hole in the roof, illuminating a thin, barely moving form underneath the covers of the only bed inside the room. Loud, raspy breathing broke the silence of the room. The door creaked open and an auburn haired girl walked in, hesitantly approaching the bed.

"Syaoran-kun?" she called out softly, her footsteps barely making a sound as she crossed the length of the room and stopped next to the bed.

"S-Sakura-chan?" the covers shifted aside to reveal the exhausted form of an amber-eyed brunette. Fever bright eyes took in the black clad form of the girl and a smile broke out on his face. The action caused his dry lips to crack and bleed a little but he paid them no mind as he shuffled a little, weakly trying to make space on the bed for her to sit. The girl quickly bent down and helped him, delicately perching on the edge as she stared at him.

"Do you…" she started, biting her lip in hesitation, her green eyes taking the flushed pallor of his pale skin, "do you think you can stomach something now? I managed to get a chicken from the market today so I made you some soup."

Wetting his lips, wincing as his tongue stung the cut on his mouth, he croaked, "I can try."

A smile lit up the girl's face as she nodded and hurried out of the room. Groaning slightly at the weakness, he laid his head back down, shivering as the world seemed to turn to ice around him. Breathing heavily, he closed his eyes, waiting for the sound of the girl's footsteps to return.

"… -kun. Syaoran-kun, wake up." Blearily, the boy opened his eyes to take in the hazy form of someone leaning over him. A startling pair of emerald hovered in his field of vision and the first thing his feverish mind deduced was that _she _had returned.

"Hime-sama!" he exclaimed happily, his voice coming out hoarse and scratchy but he paid it no mind, "you're here."

"Nope, I'm afraid it's just me, Sakura." The girl shook her head, auburn locks fluttering around her shoulders at the motion as she perched at the edge of his bed, holding up an earthen bowl in her hands. The steam carrying the scent of the broth wafted over to him, making his stomach churn rather painfully but he pushed the feeling away forcing himself to nod a little, the smile slipping away from his face as he remembered where he was, "I brought you the soup. You should try and eat something. You need to keep up your strength to recover."

He struggled to sit up, another groan escaping him as he fell back when the icy world started spinning rather dangerously. Quickly setting the bowl on the table to his right the girl helped him sit up, frowning in worry as she noticed the breathlessness the simple act of sitting up caused him. He rested his head against the headrest, closing his eyes to stop the world from tumbling around him. He felt her cool fingers brush his sweat drenched bangs away from his face. Subconsciously, he leaned into her touch, pretending she was someone else.

"Syaoran-kun," her sweet voice called out, bringing him out of his reverie. He opened his glazed eyes and saw the spoon hovering before his face. He parted his lips to let her feed him the warm broth. His throat flashed as he struggled to swallow the salty liquid. Not a second later, his stomach churned sickeningly making him doubled over, heaving as his body rejected the nutrition. Gasping, he tried to make sense of the world as someone rubbed his back in soothing circles, darkness took over everything, drowning out all light and sound.

"I… I can't… keep it inside…" he whimpered weakly as he passed out.

A cool rag was pressed against his forehead when he next came to.

"You're awake." She smiled at him, serving as a painful reminder of what he had lost. _She _was gone.

"Sakura…" he murmured dejectedly, his fingers fisting around the sheets in a pathetically weak grip. He had no doubt the girl had not heard him though. "I'm dying…" he told her in a slightly louder whisper, his breath rattling inside his chest as he spoke. He had known it for some time now, even if the girl that was taking care of him kept on saying otherwise.

"Syaoran-kun…"

"Syaoran…" he closed his eyes, struggling to shake his head, "Please Sakura-chan… Call me Syaoran." Even if she wasn't her, he wanted to hear that voice call him by just his name. He knew he didn't deserve it for letting her die but he wanted to be a little selfish for once.

"Syaoran-ku… Syaoran, don't give up hope." With his eyes closed, he could almost pretend that those words were from his princess, "You'll get better again." A faint smile graced his lips as he looked at the girl that reminded him so much of his princess. They shared the same souls after all so it was no wonder that she was so much like _her_.

"Back home… there was a girl that I loved…" he murmured as his eyes began to drift close. Her hand stilled in the motion of wiping his forehead for a fraction of a second before she resumed the action, "she was a princess… her name was Sakura…" even with his eyes closed, he knew that this girl, who had the same soul as the girl he loved, was listening to his words with rapt attention, "she was the kindest person I knew… always smiling… always so happy… just looking at her made you want to smile too… the world always seemed so much more beautiful when she was around…"

"What happened?" she asked with that same curious edge to her tone as _her. _It made him chuckle softly though the laughter bubbling from his chest came out as harsh coughs as he blanked out for a moment.

"She died."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be… She was cursed by an evil man when she was seven… I searched far and wide for a way to break the curse… but I was too late… She died in my arms on her fourteenth birthday…"

"I'm sorry to hear that." She murmured, her cool fingers raking slowly through his hair.

"It's been four years now… I was banished from her world not long after that…" he had never told anyone about his past but now that he had started, the words would not stop tumbling from his lips, "the witch said it was because I had no purpose left to serve in her world…" he swallowed thickly, his tongue flicking out to wet his cracked lips a little, "Every few months I get thrown into a new world… trying to find a path that would lead back to my home… I guess… I guess I'll never go there either now."

"Don't say that." She cut in sharply, reminding him that despite all the similarities, she wasn't the _Sakura_ he loved_._

"There is no cure for what I have…" he told her softly, "Your world doesn't have this disease… or maybe you are all immune to it… it was a virus I got infected with in the world before this one…"

"The doctor said he would find something… You'll be fine, Syaoran. Just… Just hold on a little longer."

A chill settled deep within his bones, telling him that no matter what she said, he did not have the luxury of 'a little longer'.

"It's so cold here…" He drifted back into darkness not long after.

"-anything that can be done now." He heard a male voice close by, but it sounded too distant to him. Like the speaker was at the other end of a long tunnel. "The virus is nothing like what we have seen before. It's rather surprising that a normal person's blood is not affected at all by the disease but I'm afraid that for his case, it would take us months to come up with something to fight it off at such an advanced stage."

"There must be _something_ we could do to help him." Sakura insisted vehemently. "He's suffering."

As if on cue, a sharp claw wrenched his gut, twisting his inside viciously. Whimpering at the pain, he curled in on himself, drawing his legs up to his chest as he willed himself not to cry out as even drawing a breath became a chore. He felt a needle prickle his skin and a cold liquid flushed through his veins. Knowing it to be a painkiller, he forced his muscles to loosen up. It worked best when he wasn't tense.

"How… how much longer… do I have?" he turned his bleary eyes on the doctor, who wore the same face as the High Priest at Clow.

"A week at most." The man informed him solemnly, pity shining deeply in his brown eyes as he looked at Syaoran.

"The… painkillers are not… working properly anymore…" he informed the doctor, fighting back the urge to curl up again.

"I was afraid of that."

"Don't you have something stronger?" Sakura bit her lip, casting worried glances at Syaoran every few seconds.

"Anything stronger than what we have him on right now would only deteriorate his condition further."

"But…"

"I never enjoy telling this to my patients but as a doctor, I am obliged to inform you that if you wish it, we have the option of euthanasia."

"What?" Sakura shrieked, jumping to her feet as she stared at the man in horror. "No!"

"I am sorry, Sakura-san, Syaoran-san," Yukito bowed his head apologetically, "but without the painkillers, it will only get worse."

Euthanasia. Assisted suicide. Another pang in his gut had him gasping from air, tears flowing freely from his eyes as the pain became too much for him to bear.

"Syaoran." Through the haze of pain that consumed him, he felt Sakura's soft fingers take hold of his hand. He did not want to die. Even if she wasn't the same, he had found Sakura again. But… he knew he could not spend the rest of his life with her. If only because of the virus that was wreaking havoc on his body, eating him alive from the inside, he would not be able to live more than a week. Suicide was not exactly something he'd ever thought he'd resort to but with what the doctor had just told him. There won't be any more painkillers to make it all easier for him. And if this agony was how the rest of his short life was going to be… was wanting to die really such a cowardly act?

"Please let me know if you have any further need of my assistance." Dr. Yukito spoke from the end of the long tunnel again.

"…Do… Do it…" he gasped weakly, curling up once more as the pain became too much for him to bear. "I'm sorry… Sakura…" he knew she did not want him to die. But he could not hold on like this anymore. He was going to die. There was no changing that. If being a coward was the only way to end his suffering then…

"Miss Sakura?"

"… If this is his decision." Her fingers tightened their hold on his trembling hand.

"I will be back with the apparatus in an hour."

"I'm… sorry… Sakura…" he croaked, drifting back into the darkness.

….

"Yukito-san has almost finished setting up the apparatus." He felt her warm tears fall on his face.

"I'm… so sorry…"

"Don't be…" the fingers of her free hand played with his hair as she stared longingly at his face.

"You have… her… eyes you know…" he breathed, slightly aware of the man rummaging with something on the other side of his bed. "Did you know… what she said to me… when she died?"

"What?"

"Hold me please…" his fingers twitched slightly in her clammy hand as he felt a needle prick his skin, "as I fall asleep." He heard a soft click in the background and more tears fell on his face, "could you… hold me please? As I… fall asleep…" the covers on his bed shifted and her arms slipped around him, chasing away the chill in his bones as a soft warmth took its place. The pain he had been feeling for so long, it all began to go away as the warmth spread. His breathing began to slow, his eyes gradually drooping as a sleepy haze enveloped him.

"It's not… cold anymore…" he smiled, embracing the darkness as it swallowed his world. "Thank you Sakura…"

_**A/N: Now **_**this**_** I had fun while writing. Killing of the TRC cast is surprisingly enough, a great way to relieve stress you know. Probably the reason why they're always dying or getting tortured in my stories. **_

_**This was kinda self-explanatory (I think) but in case if I wasn't clear about it in the story, since Syaoran never made the wish to turn back time, him and Sakura never got cloned so the other princess didn't lose her memories which means that Fai and Kuro never went on that journey. Next up is gonna be Fai's turn. Keep an eye out for that one. And tell me what you thought of this. ;)**_


	3. Fai

_**A/N: Fai's part is probably my most favorite part out of all three. I figured since it's my birthday, I'd treat you all to an early update. **_

_**Enjoy!**_

**Fai**

"It's cold." She mumbled weakly.

"I know." He replied, his voice equally soft. "It's snowing out."

"We're going to die, aren't we?" she questioned dejectedly.

"I don't know." He responded quietly.

"That's a first." She snorted, struggling to pull her body into a sitting position, hissing when agony licked at her right leg with fiery tongues.

"Can you heal yourself?" he asked worriedly, eyeing her damaged leg apprehensively.

"I can't call on my magic." She shook her head, locks of satin and crimson tumbling around her shoulders. Tiny flakes of snow drifted to the ground from the small crack high up in the ceiling of the cave. It wasn't actually a small crack but it seemed tiny from the distance. It was miracle that they had actually survived a fall from that height without getting seriously injured. Well… apart from a broken leg for her and some cracked ribs and a twisted ankle for him that is.

"I was afraid of that." He frowned, limping over to her as their surroundings began to darken. It would be nightfall in a few hours.

"I guess we're stuck in one of _those_ caves." She nodded, understanding creeping into her tone as she leaned against the ice-wall.

"We can only hope someone finds us here before it's too late."

"Something tells me it might be too late…"

"Since when are you such a pessimist, Masooma?"

"Since the time you've become such an optimist… It's really cold." She repeated her earlier statement, pulling her fur lined coat closer to her body for warmth. "I didn't mean you had to take off your coat and cover me with it!" She protested when he did just that. "Fai! You'll freeze to death."

"Are you still cold?" he said, ignoring her question as he hobbled over to the spot where their bags had fallen. Rummaging through it, he found a blanket and some books. Searching through it some more, he found a set of matches. Bringing the items over, he covered her with the blanket before ripping out the pages from the books and making a pile of them at a small distance. Striking a match, he threw it into the pages, starting a fire for warmth.

"Masooma?" he called her name when he received no reply, feeling his heart sink in his chest when he noticed the way her eyes drooped and her head sagged on her shoulders. "Masooma, wake up! You're not supposed to fall asleep." Hurrying over to her, he quickly shook her shoulders, waking her up.

"Huh?"

"You need to stay awake." He told her seriously. She had hit her head when she fell. If she fell asleep…

"Oh… okay." She murmured sleepily, head drooping to one side once again.

"Masooma," he shook her again, "Stay awake." He ordered, "Start talking to me about something."

"It's hard," she told him, once again beginning to give into the drowsiness, "I feel so sleepy…"

"Hey!" he lightly slapped her face, causing her to stare at him blearily, "No sleeping, alright?'

"Uh huh…"

"Tell me about your family!" he blurted out all of a sudden.

"My family?" she repeated in confusion, growing slightly more aware of her surroundings, "why?"

"Because you're never told me about them." He reasoned, turning his back towards her to throw some more pages into the fire.

"Only if you tell me about yours."

"There isn't much to tell."

"I still wanna know." She insisted, obviously putting more effort into staying awake now, "If I tell you about mine, you have to tell me about yours."

He looked over at her, watching the hope lighting up her slightly unfocused gaze, "… okay." He sighed, noticing the small smile that broke out on her face at his agreement.

"Before I came to Celes," she started, "I used to live with my father and younger sister, Umeed. My mother died giving birth to her. She was a witch. My sister is six years younger than me, not interested in magic in the least bit although she has a bit of magic in her blood. My father is just an ordinary merchant so he travels a lot." Her gaze became somewhat distant. "He always brings these little trinkets for me and my sister whenever he comes home though. I have this entire shelf in my room back home that's dedicated to all the things he's ever brought for me… even though I haven't gone to visit either of them ever since I came here to study under you, I still write to them every few days. Umeed started teaching at the village school last month." Silence fell between them for a while until she broke it, "your turn."

He dumped some more pages into the fire before leaning back against the wall.

"I was born a twin in the kingdom of Valeria." He closed his eyes to fight the painful memories that sprung up with that single name alone, "My father died not long after my birth. Mother committed suicide when I was five. My uncle took over the throne but because twins are a misfortune in my home-world, we were locked away in a valley not much different from this cave. We were seven at that time. My brother was locked up in a tower so high I could not even see the window of his cell… We spent nearly an eternity in that place… Always calling out the other's name… Then one day, a man came and he told us that he would get us out of that valley."

"So where is your brother now?"

"Dead," he replied emptily, "He promised to get us both out, but only one of us could actually leave there alive… he told me to choose who got to live and… I being a cowardly monster, chose to save myself. My brother fell to his death from the tower."

"You were just a child…" she protested weakly, as he fed the dimming fire a bit more of the paper, "the man that gave you the choice was the monster."

He smiled a bitter smile, not for once believing the excuse she made for him, "Ashura-ou came and rescued me from there not long after that."

"Fai…"

"It's kind of ironic that I end up getting stuck in a place similar to the one my brother died in. From the looks of it…" he gazed at the sliver of sky overhead, "I might die here too."

"…I thought you were supposed to be the optimist." She nudged his shoulder lightly, making him look back at her.

"Your pessimistic germs killed my optimism."

….

"Hey Fai?"

"Hmm?" he cracked an eye open to look at her. Her trembling lips were turning blue from the cold, frost covering her hair and part of her face. A bit of blood stuck to the right side of her face, frozen just like the snow.

"You're cold too, right?"

"Yeah."

"Me too." She sighed, leaning her head against the wall to stare at the crack in the ceiling. The sky had taken on a slight orange hue. It was sunset. As the last of the pages of the book they had been burning for warmth turned to a pile of wet ash, they were plunged in cold darkness. Shuffling a little, he joined her under the blanket, though he let her remain wrapped up in his coat.

"I know."

…

"Hey… Fai…" she called out his name in the dark, her frozen fingers searching for his hand "No one is going to find us, are they?"

"No," heaving a sigh, he shifted closer to her shivering body, "I guess not."

"I'm sleepy." She confessed, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"Me too…"

"Fai?" she mumbled breathily.

"Yeah?"

"I don't want to die…" her hand twitched slightly in his grip, "There is so much I still have to do…" she trailed off, silence reigning between them until she broke it again, "My dad used to hold me close to him whenever I was scared… I feel so sleepy…"

"Masooma, you can't fall asleep."

"I know… I'm scared…"

"… Me too." He admitted.

"Could you…" she hesitated, "Could you hold me as I fall asleep?"

Wordlessly, his arms wrapped around her trembling shoulders as he drew her closer to his body. Mindful of her injured leg, he shifted her so that she rested on his lap. Judging from her lack of reaction to the jostling of her leg, he'd say her appendage had grown numb from the cold. Trembling slightly, she hugged him around the waist, trying to share some of the almost non-existent body heat.

"Hey Fai… You're so warm…" Smiling softly, she pressed the side of her face into his shoulder. Her shallow breaths began to slow as her eyes drooped once again. "And I'm not… afraid anymore… Thank you."

A small bitter smile graced his lips as he pressed his mouth against her hair, feeling as her shallow breaths halted completely. Her arms fell limp by her sides not long after that.

"I wish I could say the same." He mumbled, darkness encroaching at the edges of his vision as her body grew cold and stiff in his hold though he refused to let go of her.

Hours, minutes, centuries seemed to pass before he heard sounds of footsteps and shouts in the distance. Light filled up the entire cave causing him to squint his eyes.

What were the odds?

A harsh laugh escaped his lips as he heard people approach him.

"Down here!" they were found after all, though like Masooma had predicted, it was already too late for her. "I found them!" As his eyes drifted close, he wondered if it was too late for him as well.

_**A/N: In case if it wasn't clear, this takes place in Celes. Fai and his apprentice were sent on a visit to a neighboring kingdom for some work and on the way they had an accident, which led them to being trapped a crevice that had the same anti-magical properties as the 'valley of sinners' in Valeria. **_

_**I'm having trouble coming up with something for Kurogane and his is the only part that's left. If you've got any ideas on what should happen to him, feel free to let me know. I'd love to hear on your opinions so leave a review. ;)**_


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